Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

Just when we thought we'd seen the worst disasters, along comes the SS TECTANIC.

The trustee elections were going at full steam when the good ship foundered on an iceberg of narrow parameters. But in the true spirit of conspiracy theories, was it really an accident? Or was it a cleverly executed scheme to bolster voter interest in the TECT Elections?

Here at RR we believe Graeme Purches, the Trust Power PR guy and promoter of the TECT Elections has pulled off a huge marketing coup.

Some say it is a monumental stuff up, but the truth is, sending election packs to incorrect addresses is sheer genius. Full credit must go to Graeme for masterminding this novel promotion method.

Graeme has managed to double the amount of media exposure for the TECT Elections by having a false start. Not since the 1986 space shuttle disaster has a botch up gained more attention. Better than that, he did it with no casualties, and even has some candidates excited at the prospect of more exposure.

Stimulating turn out

Candidate Mary Dillon believes the mistake might improve voter turnout.

'Given how traditionally low the vote is maybe an incident like this will stimulate people a bit more in the election process.

'It [traditional voter turnout] is incredibly low – it really is the stuff of very basic democracy isn't it? It's to actually respond to those things and say ‘actually, we are part of this community, we have a chance to provide some direction to it'. So why not use it?”

Human error is being blamed for the TECT election blunder where 10,000 election packs were sent to old or incorrect addresses. An error in setting the parameters in establishing the TECT election voter database resulted in the error, estimated to cost about $80,000. An error setting parameters? Has TECT started recruiting former Westpac overdraft officers?

Visionary brilliance

TrustPower spokesman Graeme Purches says the search parameters used when separating eligible voters from the company's everyday database had not been broad enough.

'It was just a human error, simple as that. It was for a purpose that we don't normally use it for.”

Is it a simple error or a complex conspiracy to increase voter turnout? Graeme's team has scored tens of thousands of dollars' worth of individually addressed PR for only $80,000. A bargain surely.

Okay you and I, the TECT shareholders will have to foot the bill, but isn't it a small price to pay for such brilliance? This is visionary, not even Muldoon's snap election in the 70s was as successful in generating hype and focusing voter attention.

Your feedback

Following last week's Rabbit where we outlined the Idiots Guide to Voting in the elections, all hell has broken loose. We've had a lot of feedback following last week's column including some letters published this week. One commentator has criticised candidate's use of letters to the editor column for electioneering.

But here at RR HQ, we see the letters as a really good way for the candidates to reach the prospective voters along with their paid advertising. How else are prospective trustees going to get their message out there so voters have a chance to hear their policies, philosophies and experience? You'll see that some of the smarter candidates have taken advertising space in the Weekend Sun and on SunLive.

Graeme has thrown a life buoy into a sea of apathy – now let's see how many more floundering voters can be roped in.